

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 





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PRINCESS HILDA 


BY 

ANNA C. ASTON 

Yl 



ILLUSTRATED BY F. A. HULL 



WOMAN'S TEMPERANCE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION 

1592 


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TZt 

Tn. 


COPYRIGHT, 1892. 

By Anna C. Aston. 


DEDICATED TO 
SUSIE CARTER 
BY HER 

God-Mother 



PRINCESS HILDA 


PART I. 

T THE close of a cold December day, when 
the dusk of evening was fast creeping on, and 
the wind was w^histling through the streets, 
and the snowflakes whirling through the air, the moon 
rose over a city, and then the lights began to peep out 
along the streets, and thousands of lights shone out 
from the doors and windows of dwellings ablaze with 
light, until up and down and along the streets all was 
one flood of light. The streets were crowded, too, with 
people hurrying to and fro — for the holiday season 
had come, and Christmas, too, was coming fast. How 
busy everybody seemed, and how wide-awake was the 
scene ! 

On a street down which the gaslights twinkled, and 
the moon shed its beams, however, there was a house 
that stood stately and dark, with the blinds tightly 




6 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


closed and the curtains closely drawn. Not one ray of 
light came from within, to be blended with the light of 
other homes, that bordered the street on which this 
gloomy house stood. Within, that dwelling was cheer- 
less too, for though the grate blazed with ruddy coals, 
and the lights were turned on for the evening, yet this 
brightness seemed but mockery, for sorrow and sadness, 
and grief and mourning rested upon the hearts of those 
within. 

Do you ask why the gloom in this home, and why 
this solemn stillness at eventide ? Ask that merry group 
of little ones, at the window opposite, as they try to 
count the feathery snowflakes falling fast. They would 
answer, that the house across the street had not long 
been so dismal and dark, for two happy little children 
had dwelt within that home, making sunshine for loving 
parents. But one — the younger — had gone to be a 
brother to the angels ; and now while the merry group 
at the window of the house opposite are so joyous and 
glad, little Hilda sits with her mother in the sacred still- 
ness of their home, thinking and talking of the loved 
one who had gone. The sight of Hilda makes the fond 
tears start in the mother’s eyes, for she is thus reminded 
of the precious one who cannot join them in the 
twilight. 

The mother is thinking of how the big house was 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


7 


once made cheerful and bright, by the gleeful play of 
her two little darlings. She is thinking of what a pleas- 
ure her home-comings had been, after calling or shop- 
ping, to find two happy faces watching and waiting for 
her, and of how they would run swiftly to meet her, and 
on stooping down, how they would twine their little 
arms about her neck, kissing her over and over again. 
But that happy time had gone like a dream, and now all 
was lonely and sad, and never could things be as in the 
olden time. How strange it seemed to see the world 
moving on outside, just the same as before little Jamie’s 
death. The crowds hurrying up and down the streets, 
vehicles rushing by, the lights burning as brightly as 
ever, and the moon shining on the same. 

Even to little Hilda, it seemed strange that these 
things should be ; it even made her sad to see her 
merry little friends across the way so cheerful and glad. 
Why should everybody not be grieving over Jamie’s 
death ? she thought. The great outside world seemed 
to know so little of sorrow, and to feel so little for Hilda 
and her mamma in their sadness. So the blinds were 
closed, to shut out, as it were, all that was cheerful and 
bright. 

These two sad ones were lying on a great soft, 
cushioned sofa, Hilda with her arms around her 


8 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


mamma’s neck. Now and then they would kiss each 
other, and their tears would freely flow. 

“ Oh ! dear mamma, how can we live without our 
darling little Jamie ? ” said Hilda, as she laid her head 
upon her mother’s breast — “I have been thinking of 
him, until I felt that he was here again ; I have been 
seeing him just as he was, when we played here in 
the library the evening before he was taken sick, and it 
seemed that I heard his voice and his merry laugh, and 
then I began thinking that he was not to play with me 
any more, never, never again, — and oh. Mamma ! I 
don’t want to stay here either, for I want to be with my 
dear little brother.” 

Hilda’s mamma felt that way too, and she thought 
how glad she would be to leave this world, but then she 
remembered Hilda, and her papa, who were left her, 
and for them she should try and live. So she tried to 
comfort Hilda by telling her that “papa and mamma 
would be so lonely without her.” 

Just then the door-bell went jing-a-ling-ling, and 
Hilda said through her tears, “ Oh ! there’s Auntie 
Belle, mamma, and I’m so glad ! ” They both felt 
that help had come to them now, for Auntie Belle had 
known and loved little Jamie too, and she was sorry, 
oh, so sorry — when he died, and yet she seemed to know 
best how to comfort them — better than any one else. 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


9 


She had stayed with them through Jamie’s illness, was 
present when he died (or when he went to ‘ ‘ keep com- 
pany with the angels,” as she told Hilda), and for sev- 
eral days after his death had remained with them all the 
time, but now she only came in, late in the evening, 
and spent the night with them, and how eagerly did 
they watch for her coming ! 

” How late I am to-night,” said Auntie Belle, kissing 
both Hilda and her mamma. ” I am later than ever 
before,” she continued while pulling off her gloves and 
hat and cloak, which Hilda took and laid aside for her. 
“ But really I did n’t mean to be so late, and could n’t 
help it, for just as I began to get ready to come, a 
gentleman called to see me.” 

“Was it Mr. Curtiss, Auntie Belle?” interrupted 
Hilda. 

“ No, indeed; you have guessed wrong this time,” 
said her aunt, blushing and stooping down, and hold- 
ing Hilda’s face between her hands, as they smiled 
into one another’s eyes. “Other gentlemen call on 
your auntie besides Mr. Curtiss, my pet, you must 
remember.” 

“ I know they do. Auntie Belle, many of them, but 
then, I think Mr. Curtiss comes oftenest, and papa 
says — ’ ’ 

“ Ah, yes ! that papa of yours makes mistakes some- 


lO 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


times,” said her aunt, this time interrupting Hilda ; 
” the gentleman who called was named ‘Johnston,’ and 
he came to see me about some children in a tenement 
house, and so busy did we get planning for those tene- 
ment children, that time went ahead of me, and then 
while coming along, I was so jostled by people carrying 
coals to Newcastle, that I am thankful indeed to get 
here at all, and almost surprised to find that my arms 
are not out of joint.” 

” What are ‘tenement children, ’Auntie Belle? and 
who was carrying coal to Newcastle ? and where is 
Newcastle ?” said Hilda, asking three questions all in 
one breath. 

Their visitor had succeeded in doing just what she 
had intended. When she entered the library, and found 
Hilda and her mamma so sad, she felt very sorry to 
have left them alone in their sorrow so long — for well 
she knew how the twilight hour had been creeping on, 
bringing sad thoughts of the dear one who had gone. 
Then she thought, ‘ I must get my dear little pet inter- 
ested in something else,’ so in telling why she was late, 
she had ehosen the very words that would eause Hilda 
to ask the above questions. 

‘‘ Well, come now, and sit in my lap,” said Auntie 
Belle, as she gave the grate, full of blazing coal, a shak- 
ing with the poker, then wheeled a great sleeply- hollow 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


II 


chair toward the fire, — “Come, and I’ll answer yonr 
questions, as best I can. Let me see — what was your 
first question ? for you asked them so rapidly that they 
all went pell-mell into my head.” 

“I asked what ‘tenement children’ were,’’ said 
Hilda. 

“ O, yes ! Well, in another part of the city, very far 
from where we live, there are some long, high houses, 
built very close together, — so close that your mamma 
and I could almost shake hands across the street, or 
alley that separates the houses. In these houses many 
hundreds of people live. Each family does n’t have a 
separate front door like ours, but there will be one en- 
trance for many, many people to pass through, on their 
way, through dark halls, and narrow passages leading 
to their own rooms. One family occupies one or two 
rooms in these houses, hence many families live under 
the same roof. These houses are called tenement houses, 
because “tenement’’ means “held,’’ and these houses 
are not owned by those who live in them generally, but 
are “held” or owned by some one else, who rents to 
the poor people living in them. In these houses there 
are numbers and numbers of little children, and we call 
them ‘ ‘ tenement children.” I could tell you much of how 
these children live, but we’ll talk of that another time. 
Their houses are so different from yours and mine, and 


12 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


SO unlike the home of your dear friends opposite who 
threw their kisses at me when I came in this evening. 
Now I must answer your other questions before they 
get cold. Let me see which came next ? ” 

“Who was carrying coals to Newcastle?” said 
Hilda. 

“Yes; and where is Newcastle? I’ll answer the 
last question first,” said her aunt. “Away over the 
deep blue sea, in England, there is a town called New- 
castle, — Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Underneath that town, 
and in the ground lying around for miles, there are 
immense beds of coal, from which mines the coal is 
constantly being dug out. So great is the supply of coal 
found there, that vessels carry it in quantities to many 
other countries. Large ships are sent away yearly, 
bearing tons of coal to other lands.” 

“ But you said you saw people carrying coal to New- 
castle this evening Auntie Belle ; how could they get 
across the sea and go so far, and if they did, why should 
they carry coal to people who have so much that they 
don’t need any more ? ” 

“ That is just it ; you have found the point before I 
reached it,” said Auntie Belle, giving Hilda a loving 
squeeze, and smiling at her mamma. “That is the 
very thing that I wished to explain to you, and you 
have helped me do it. If we wished to send something 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


13 


to Newcastle, or to the people living there, we would n’t 
send them coal, would we ? ” 

“No, indeed, that would be very foolish, for they 
have no need of it.” 

“Just so, and if we had a supply of coal to give away, 
it would be much wiser, don’t you think, to give it to 
those poor little tenement children — many of whom 
have n’t enough fuel and clothing to keep them warm 
this cold wintry night ? ” 

“Yes, auntie; and is that what carrying coals to 
Newcastle means?” 

“Yes; whenever we see people giving most useful 
presents, we say they are ‘ carrying coal to New- 
castle.’ ” 

“ But, Auntie Belle, who was giving away useless 
presents when 3^ou were coming along this evening? 
and how do you know the}’’ were useless ? 

“ Well, to be sure, I did n’t ask the people whom I saw 
hurrying along, ‘ what have you in that bundle ? ’ and 
‘ to whom are you going to give it ? ’ and ‘ do they need 
it ? ’ for well might people have thought your auntie 
crazy, had she so questioned the people she passed ; and 
you would n’t have liked them to think so of your dear 
Auntie Belle, would you ? ” 

“ No, indeed,” said Hilda, pulling her auntie’s face 
down, and kissing her fondly. 


H 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


“ No ; auntie did n’t do anything so foolish as that, 
but then she has lived, — let me see — one, two, three, 
four, five, and so on, up to twenty-two years in this beau- 
tiful world of ours, and she has seen as many Christmas 
times go by, hence she has gotten pretty well acquainted 
with the customs of this season, and she has found that 
in many, many, O, vSO many instances, the Christmas 
presents people give, are nothing more than ‘ carry- 
ing coals to Newcastle.’ ” 

“Why, auntie, shoulcf we never give anything at all, 
except what is actually needed ? “ 

“ Well, no, I did n’t mean that we should never give 
little tokens of remembrance to those we love, but I 
mean, that many, many people give to others and buy 
for themselves, such costly, useless things, when there 
are so many who need the many things that might be 
provided for them, by those who are wasting their 
means.’’ 

Hilda then began thinking over the presents that 
she had received, and also those that she had given, and 
she said : 

“ If I had only known of the many poor little chil- 
dren, who did n’t have kind friends to provide for them, 
then I would n’t have given such costly gifts last year. 
Auntie Belle, but I did n’t know of the tenement children 
then.” 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


15 


‘ ‘ I see that you understand pretty clearly what I was 
trying to explain,” said her aunt. “ In this city of 
ours, there are many homes, at this holiday time, in 
which the fathers and mothers, and brothers and sisters 
and friends, are busy selecting and buying presents that 
cost — oh, so much ! to be given to those who have more 
than they need, to those who have plenty and to spare, — 
verily, they are ‘carrying coals to Newcastle.’ This 
practice, however, would not be so very wrong, if there 
wasn’t another side to the picture, but there is. In this 
same city there are hundreds who have n’t fuel enough 
to keep them warm, nor clothing sufficient to cover them 
comfortably, nor food enough to keep off hunger, and 
yet, the money that might provide these things is spent 
in sending coal to Newcastle.” 

‘ ‘ Do you mean that useful things might have been 
sent to the children in the tenement buildings. Auntie 
Belle?” 

” Yes; the children there, and the children of the 
poor everywhere — for they are all God’s children, and 
at this time, when we celebrate Christ’s birthday, we 
should remember them as He would have us. ‘ The 
poor ye have always with you ’ we are told in the Bible, 
and Christ said, ‘ inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the 
least of these, ye did it not to me.’ It is because we do 
not study more about Christ and find what He would do 


i6 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


in our places, that is why so many forget his poor at 
Christmas time. If we would only remember that 
Christ loves the poor, as well as the wealthy children, 
and that He would have us do the same, then all would 
be well, but so many seem to think that they are favor- 
ites with Christ, and, therefore. He has given them 
much, when in truth- He has blessed them in order that 
they might bless others.” 

” But, Auntie Belle, does n’t Santa Claus take gifts to 
the poor children at Christmas time ? ’ ’ 

“Now you have asked me a question that would once 
have puzzled me to answer, but when I found that the 
poor children in many homes had nothing to brighten the 
Christmas-tide, I thought ‘ What about the Santa Claus 
visits ? Does he carry coal to Newcastle, too ?’ Surely 
not, for he cannot be a selfish or unkind old fellow, I’m 
sure. And then I came across a little book, that ex- 
plained it all so clearly. It is this way — dear old Santa 
Claus could n’t make enough presents to supply all the 
little children in this big world of ours — no, not if he 
worked all the year round, both day and night.” 

“ I had thought about that too. Auntie Belle, and I 
wondered how he could make so many, many presents, 
for all the children, everywhere? do tell me how he 
manages.” 

“ Well, the little book I read, explained it this way : 


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PRINCESS HIEDA. 


17 


Santa Claus worked just as hard as he could all the year, 
only giving himself time to eat and sleep, and by Christ- 
mas time he had great piles of all sorts of gifts ready to 
carry around in his sleigh, and besides these, there were 
hundreds more sent to him the week before Christmas, — 
sent by the niothers and fathers, and brothers and sis- 
ters, and friends of the wealthy little people. With all 
of these together — his own, and those given him to give 
away, he would have plenty for all the boys and girls in 
the land, if he were left to carry them just where he 
pleased, but the gifts sent him were always marked, and 
he had to take them just where the labels intended, and 
so he could n’t do just as he pleased with them, as he 
did with those he made himself. He always obeyed 
those who sent presents by him, and never deceived them, 
though oftentimes he thought ‘ How nice it would be, if 
these kind friends would only let me change the labels 
on the presents sent. I know exactly how to make the 
gifts go around, if they would only trust me to mark 
them as I know is best.’ But then the dear honest old 
soul would n’t do as he liked, without permission ; and 
that is the reason he has n’t enough for all the chil- 
dren — even the poorest — everywhere. How he must 
long to leave some of the presents with the poor chil- 
dren sometimes, in passing by their homes in his sleigh 
piled up with gifts, but all labeled for children else- 


i8 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


where. Poor, kind old fellow ! how I wish he could, 
every time, do just as he wished to do. I am sure he 
would never carry coals to Newcastle.” 

Jing-a-ling-a-ling went the door-bell just then, and 
Auntie Belle said, ‘ ‘ Run now and meet your papa, for I 
am sure he it must be, and then after tea I will try and 
answer any other questions you may wish to ask.” 

So down jumped Hilda, and ran to meet her father, 
just as she did before her dear little brother’s death. 
Her father took her up in his strong, loving arms and 
kissed her, as she hugged him, very, very close, and said: 

” Papa, did you meet any one carrying coals to New- 
castle, too? ” 

” Why, what do you mean, my darling little one ? ” 
said her father, glad to see his pet so bright again, 
though he was thinking of dear little Jamie who would 
never run to meet him again with his sister. ‘ ‘ What 
do you mean ? explain yoursejf ; something your auntie 
has been telling you, no doubt,” said he, as he walked 
through into the library, and he found Hilda’s mamma 
and auntie, both looking less sad than when he had 
left them in the morning. He kissed them both ten- 
derly and said, ” What is this you have on hand. Lady 
Bountiful ? (as he called Auntie Belle) — Hilda met me in 
the hall asking if I had passed people ‘ carrying coal to 
Newcastle ’ ? Say, now do tell me about it, some of 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


19 


you, for I by no means wish to be kept in the dark.” 

“It is n’t any secret at all, papa ; Auntie Belle will 
tell you all about it, won’t you, dear auntie?” said 
Hilda, “ please do.” 

“ Well, you can tell him yourself, Hilda, as best you 
can, while I go and put these pretty flowers on the tea- 
table, and then after tea, if you wish me to tell more 
about it, I will. Now run and get your father’s slippers 
while I arrange the flowers,” said her aunt, as she 
was leaving the room. 

Hilda then brought her father’s slippers and warmed 
them before the fire, while he pulled off his shoes. All 
the while he was thinking of the dear little one who had 
always helped get ready “ papa’s slippers.” But Hilda 
was so busy trying to tell him of what she and her 
auntie had been talking about, and so many questions 
were asked him, too, that she kept her papa pretty busy 
answering. Just as Auntie Belle returned to the room, 
she heard Hilda ask, “ Papa did you ever see a tene- 
ment house? Won’t you take me to see the little 
children there ? ’ ’ 

“ Yes,” said he ; “ I’ve seen them, I owned one once, 
but I sold it. But I don’t think it would be a nice place 
to take you, my darling little daughter. You have 
plenty of little friends up in this part of the city.” 

“ I know that I don’t need more friends, papa, but I 


20 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


would like to see how those poor little tenement chil- 
dren are to spend Christmas. I wonder if Santa Claus 
will have enough presents to go all around among the 
poor children of our city ? O, papa ! I would like to 
write a letter to Santa Claus, asking him to carry the 
things he has for me to some poor little children that he 
may find. And then, papa. Auntie Belle says, that the 
parents of many children send gifts by Santa Claus. 
Now, if you intend sending any presents by him, won’t 
you please ask him to do with them just as he likes, 
papa dear ? ” 

“ Well, yes ; I might manage to do so, but then what 
about your Christmas ? for you will doubtless be left 
entirely out, if you have your presents taken elsewhere, 
and then you ask me, to ask Santa Claus to give the 
presents that I may send, to other little children. Do 
you wish both Santa Claus and me to pass you entirely 
by, this Christmas time ? ” 

“ Yes, papa, that won’t make any difference this time, 
for I will be happy thinking that some of the little tene- 
ment children are made glad with my gifts, and then, 
papa,” Hilda added, “ I won’t know how to play with 
my gifts without dear little Jamie, and he is with the 
angels now, and I know he and the other angels would 
be glad to see that I was helping the poor little tenement 
children.” 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


2 


Hilda’s papa here embraced his precious little 
daughter most tenderly, and her mother wiped the tears 
from her eyes, as he gently stroked her hair. Hilda’s 
mamma’s tears were of joy, mingled with sorrow, for 
it had puzzled her to know how to plan for Hilda’s 
Christmas during the sad days. It did her mother’s 
heart good now; to see a way out of her trouble, for 
Hilda had suggested a plan that even her parents might 
enter into with her. She had given out the thought 
too, that their dear little one who had gone might still 
enter into their Christmas time, if it was kept as Hilda 
had planned. 

Tea was soon announced, and with lighter hearts 
did this family assemble around the board, than since 
Jamie’s death. Hilda said grace, with more feelings of 
gratitude than she had ever done before, for she and her 
parents felt more thankful for the rich blessings of their 
home, after thinking of the desolate homes of the poor. 
Hilda and her brother had always said grace together 
before he was taken, and since then, they had felt little 
like thanking their Heavenly Father for anything — so 
sadly did they miss little Jamie’s voice, and so deeply 
did they mourn his absence. 

“ Auntie Belle, would n’t those poor little tenement 
children like to sit down to tea with us? ” said Hilda, as 
she looked over the beautiful table with its snowy white 


22 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


cloth, and the pretty china, and bright shining silver, 
and with the steaming chocolate in the tea tray, besides 
the delicious hot gems and flaky bread and golden but- 
ter ; and then the pretty bright flowers, too, that Mr. 
Curtiss had sent Auntie Belle. How pretty and tempt- 
ing everything looked in that bright, warm room ! 

“Yes, indeed; the poor children would think this 
quite a rich feast,” said her aunt. “ the way, I 
must tell you of the feast given by the ‘ Children’s 
Clubs’ in some cities. That is what the gentleman 
called to see me about, just as I started over here this 
evening. We hope to plan for children’s feasts here, in 
the way that other cities are now beginning to do.” 

“ Oh, won’t that be lovely ! ” said Hilda, “and can’t 
mamma and papa help too. Auntie Belle? ” 

“ Yes, there will be something for all willing ones to 
do.” 

Hilda’s father then began to inquire all about the 
history of the “ Children’s Clubs,” and to ask what 
plans were proposed for carrying out the one in which 
he and Hilda’s mamma could help. 

Hilda remained an interested listener, while her 
parents and Auhtie Belle became more and more ab- 
sorbed in the subject. After tea when they had returned 
to the library, Hilda said, 

“ Well, Auntie Belle, it will soon be my bedtime, but 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


23 


before I leave the library, may I not write my letter to 
Santa Claus ? It is getting so near Christmas, that he 
must be very busy, and besides, he must have many 
letters to read from boys and girls everywhere, and mine 
may not reach him in time; so Auntie Belle, won’t you 
please write it for me to-night ? ” 

“ Yes, if you will tell me just what to put in it,” said 
she, as she went to the writing desk that stood near the 
window. 

While they were getting the paper and pen and ink 
and envelope and stamp all ready, Hilda was thinking 
just what she wished to write. She sat in her auntie’s 
lap during the writing, and this is the letter they wrote : 

Dear Santa Claus : 

I thank you very, very much for the beautiful gifts that you 
have brought me in the past, but this time I wish to ask you not 
to bring me anything at all, but to take what you have for me to 
some of the poor little children in the tenement buildings. My 
father, too, thinks he will have you take any gifts that he may 
send you, to the poor children. And then, dear Santa, my little 
brother to whom you brought such pretty gifts last year, is now 
my angel brother, and he must have a bright, happy Christmas 
in Heaven, so he does n’t need anything that you may have for 
him, so please carry all of our presents to the little ones who 
have n’t any kind friends to send them gifts. I love to think that 
my precious angel brother is helping me to do this, then I will not 
feel so lonely without him at Christmas time. I know you will 


24 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


do as I ask you, dear Santa Claus, for I know that you will like to 
do it, and so I will be happy thinking that I have helped you pro- 
vide for some of your many, many little children, even though I 
don’t hear from you, for you must be too busy to answer my 
letter. Believe me as. 

Your loving little friend, 

December 20, i8g2. Hilda. 

When the letter was finished, her auntie read it 
all over to Hilda, and then she took it to her parents and 
had them read it aloud again. As they read it, their 
hearts were stirred within them, and they each drew her 
closely to them, and lovingly kissed her ; as they did so, 
they remembered the Scripture which says, ‘ ‘ And a little 
child shall lead them,” and they felt that Hilda, their 
remaining little one, was leading them out of the dark- 
ness in which their sorrow left them groping, out into 
the light where their other dear angel child was dwell- 
ing. For the first time in their lives they felt that they 
had lived selfishly, as compared with what Hilda would 
now have them. All along they had lived entirely for 
themselves, and for their own, as if there was nothing 
else in the world required of them. Now and then they 
had attended a charity ball, or given to some object when 
asked, but they had never thought of having any share 
in the work for God’s poor in the world. Now they 
began to see that they had been selfishly and ungrate- 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


25 


fully accepting all the good things in life, as if they were 
God’s favored ones, forgetting His many needy children 
that He would have them serve. 

“Yes, darling, we will help you and your auntie 
in your plans, if you will only tell us what you wish us 
to do,” said Hilda’s father. 

At this promise, she was so delighted, that she 
rushed first to one, and then to the other, kissing them 
and hugging them, and saying, 

“O, you precious mamma and papa I How good you 
are ! My angel brother and I have the dearest parents 
in the world ! ’ ’ 

Her aunt had to smile through her tears, as she 
witnessed Hilda’s joyous expression of her grateful 
heart. Hilda’s bedtime then having come, she bade her 
parents a loving “good-night,” and then went to her 
pretty little bedroom with her auntie — either she or 
Hilda’s mamma had put her to bed every night since 
Jamie’s death, instead of sending her to her room with 
Jane the maid. Hilda’s mother now wondered how she 
had even intrusted her darlings, at the sacred hour of 
bedtime, to any servant’s care, instead of herself listen- 
ing to their evening prayer, and imprinting the good- 
night kiss, after they were snugly tucked away in their 
little beds. 

Her auntie was so sweet, and talked so much 


26 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


more cheerfully and brightly to Hilda, than her mother 
could now, that Hilda and her auntie went upstairs 
together, leaving the loving parents in the library. 

How sweetly Hilda prattled away to her auntie, 
.who always listened with interest to what the little 
ones had to say. To-night too, she was more deeply 
interested than usual, and from her heart she offered a 
prayer of praise, for the awakening of her loved ones 
from their life of ease and unconcern for the many 
wretched ones, whom their Heavenly Father would 
have them know. “ If ye know these things, happy are 
ye if ye do them,” said the Christ, and now Auntie 
Belle felt that Hilda had helped her parents to know 
and feel what was to be done, and she knew that they 
would be happy in doing as they should. 

After Hilda was ready for bed, she knelt at Auntie 
Belle’s knee to say her evening prayer. She repeated 
the little prayer that she had used with her little brother, 
and, after praying for her parents and auntie, and 
the friends so dear, she said, “and dear Lord, please 
bless the poor little children everywhere, and make all 
of us people who have been ‘ carrying coal to Newcastle,’ 
make us remember the poor this Christmas time. This 
I ask for Christ’s sake. Amen.” 

“ You dear, precious, little lamb,” said her auntie, 
as she took Hilda up in her arms and put her in her 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


27 


pretty little bed ; and she felt that Hilda’s prayer would 
be answered. “ I am so glad you are not like the little 
girl whom I read about, who had everything that heart 
could wish just as you have, but so satisfied was she 
with ‘carrying coal to Newcastle,’ that on saying her 
prayers one night, after seeing a poor, distressed little 
girl in the street, she asked the Lord to ‘ remember the 
poor little girl,’ and then added, ‘but it isn’t any of 
our business, is it Lord ? Amen.’ ” 

“ But it is some of our business. Auntie Belle, is n’t 
it ? ” said Hilda. 

“ Yes, dear ; God would never havens forget that all 
little children everywhere are His, and that He loves 
them, as He does you and me, and He would have us, 
not only to pray for them, but also try in many ways to 
help them. He would not have us to think that He 
loves us more than the poor, and for that reason we 
have beautiful homes and pretty clothes and delicious 
food, and so many other blessings. We are no more 
precious in His sight than the very poorest and most 
wretched little one, in the darkest and most homeless 
looking room in tho.se great tenement buildings.” 

“Then why, auntie, doesn’t He give enough for 
all?” 

“ Well, it is with Him just as I told you about Santa 
Claus ; there is enough for all and to spare of the good 


28 


PRINCKSS HILDA. 


things in this life, at Christmas time, and all the time, 
but people are so busy ‘ carrying coal to Newcastle,’ that 
they either waste or hoard up, what the dear lyord would 
have them scatter among the needy.” 

“ Auntie Belle, I used to pray for my dear little 
brother every night and morning, and I have n’t known 
how to pray since he died, without praying for him, but 
now I will always pray for the poor little children, and 
think of my angel brother being pleased to hear me pray 
for them. O, auntie ! how I wish I was a fairy, so that 
I might go into the homes of the poor, this Christmas 
time. I would like to be their good fair}' to help 
them.” 

” Very well, you can be their good fairy, by helping 
with the children’s feast, and by having Santa Claus 
take your gifts to them. How very busy auntie will be 
now, for weeks to come ; there are so many things to be 
done that I scarce know where to begin. I am so glad 
your mamma and papa have promised to help us too.” 

“ That is why you have n’t time to go to the balls 
and theatres very often when papa and mamma and 
Mr. Curtiss tease you to go, is n’t it, auntie?” said 
Hilda, just as her mamma entered the room. 

“ Yes, my darling,” said her mother bending over 
her and holding Hilda’s hand, “but there is work 
enough for all, and mamma will try and help you and 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


29 


your auntie with what you plan, and feel that I 
have my two little precious darlings with me all the 
time — you and my angel boy.” 

‘ Oh ! you are my good fairy, mamma dear !” said 
Hilda, clasping her hands about her mother’s neck. 
“ Oh, you dear, good, kind, fairy mamma !” 

“Now auntie and I will go out into my room, while 
you go to sleep,” said her mother, turning out the light. 

After they entered the next room, Hilda’s mamma and 
Auntie Belle sat talking of what a loving and unselfish 
child she was, and then they knelt together and prayed 
that she might grow up to be a good and useful woman, 
and that they might be shown in what way to help her 
in doing her Heavenly Father’s will. 


PART II. 


FTER Hilda was left alone, she lay quietly 
in her little bed, thinking over all she had 
heard, and had been talking of during the 
evening ; presently her mother tripped gently into the 
room to see if Hilda was yet asleep, and to imprint 
another kiss softly upon her brow. Just at that mo- 
ment Hilda felt something touch her so gently, and, on 
opening her eyes, she beheld — not her mother, but the 
most beautiful little fairy imaginable. It was in the act 
of lifting its little golden wand with which it had 
so gently wakened Hilda, — a little wand, no larger 
than her mother’s smallest crochet needle. Hilda was 
not at all frightened, for though she 
had never seen a real fairy before, yet 
she had often heard of them, and many 
of her beautiful books had pictures of 
fairies just like this one, and Hilda had 
often wished, oh, so much ! that she 
could see a real live fairy ; and now 
here was one so close to her, that she 
could take it up in her hands, if she 
would. But she felt that that would 
be rude, for perhaps the fairy would n’t 





PRINCESS HILDA. 


31 


like to be treated just like a doll baby, and so Hilda said, 

“ Aren’t you the good fairy that I have heard auntie 
read about ?” 

“ Well, I don’t know that you have heard about me 
particularly, for there are many good fairies, but I hope 
I’m one of them. Would you like to take a holiday 
ride with me to-night ? The city is beautiful with its 
covering of new-fallen snow, and the soft moonlight — it 
is so beautiful that it looks like real fairyland ; if you 
would like to go. I’ll take you in my little sleigh to- 
night.” 

” Oh ! that will be fine fun, dear fairy,” said Hilda, 
so delighted that she would have taken the little fairy 
in her arms and squeezed her tightly, but for fear of 
crushing her beautiful little rainbow-colored wings. ‘ ‘ I 
would like a fairy ride best of all things, and how good 
of you to come and ask me to go with you.” 

” Very well,” said the fairy, ” but you will first have 
to let me turn you into a fairy too, for you could never 
get into my little sleigh, in your present state. Shall I 
make you of my size ?” 

“Oh, yes ! good fairy, if you will, please,” said 
Hilda, not at all frightened at this proposal ; ” that will 
be as much fun as the ride ; just to think what it must be 
to feel one’s self no taller than mamma’s little tete-a-tete 
teapot, for you are only about that high, fairy dear. I 


32 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


have wished so many times that I might be a fairy for a 
little while to see how it would feel.” 

“Well, I’m glad you are willing,” said the fairy, 
“so here goes,” and with that, she touched Hilda gently 
with the little golden wand, and immediately Hilda’s 
hands and feet and head, and indeed her whole body, 
began to feel strange, and then shrink up, until she 
be^an to be afraid a little bit, and to fear that she might 
go entirely out like a spark in the fire, and be no more 
seen. 

“ But I will trust my good fairy, and not think of her 
being so cruel as that, ’ ’ said Hilda to herself. Just then, 
the strange feeling and the motion ceased with a sudden 
little thump, and the fairy said : 

“ How do you like it, my child ?” 

“ Oh, it is just as lovely as I thought it would be, 
dear fairy, even more so,” said Hilda, arising, and 
standing by the good fairy to measure height with her. 

“Would you like to be still smaller?” asked the 
fairy, raising her magic wand as if to continue the pro- 
cess, but instead, she let the wand lie across the top of 
their heads, to prove that they were just equally tall — or 
short. 

“No, I don’t care to be any smaller,” said Hilda, 
“for I think you are such a pretty size, none of my 
dolls are so small as we.” 



i 

I 


i 


T 


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t 





ji 



• I 



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1 


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i 














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I 






PRINCESS HILDA. 


33 


“ Well, but we haven’t finished yet,” said the fairy, 

‘ ‘ for if you wish to be a real fairy, you must have wings 
like mine.’* 

‘ ‘ O, I was so pleased with my size, dear fairy, that I 
had not miSvSed my wings at all, and I have never been 
used to wings, that is the reason that I forgot them. 
Can you make me have real wings to fly with ?” 

“Yes, just this way,” said the fairy, spreading her 
little wings, and making one sweep in the air about 
Hilda’s head. 

“ I should like wings just like yours, if you please, 
fairy dear, for yours are prettier than any butterfly 
wings that I ever saw ; O, how I should like to fly !” 
cried Hilda, impatient to get her wings. 

“ By all means then, you shall have them at once,” 
and with that, the fairy raised her little wand, and then 
placed it across Hilda’s shoulders, and no sooner was the 
wand taken off, than two little airy, light, gauzy wings 
began to peep up over Hilda’s head. “Now spread 
your wings,” said the fairy, whereupon Hilda gave a 
motion as if shrugging her shoulders (for she did n’t 
know how else to do), and immediately a pair of the 
prettiest wings, like two little fans, were spread, as if 
ready to fly. 

“ Now, are you ready to fly?” said the fairy. 

“ I’ll try,” said Hilda, for she had such perfect con> 


34 


PRINCESS HILDA. 



fideiice in the fairy, that she was willing to obey in every- 
thing. 

“ Very well, then,” said the fairy, ” be sure to fol- 
low me, and keep close up behind, for the lights are all 
out in the hall, and you might strike against something 
and break off your wings;” with 
that up she flew, with Hilda fol- 
lowing, so close behind that her 
face was fanned by the motion of 
the fairy’s wings. 

Through the transom, over the 
door they went, and along the hall, 
then down the stairway. At the 
foot of the stairs, they perched side 
by side, on the newel post, for 
Hilda to rest awhile. The other 
fairy was n’t tired at all, for she 
was used to such flights, and even 
much longer ones, but the exercise 
was new to Hilda, and she would 
probably have fallen to the floor, 
had not the good fairy been so kind 
and thoughtful as to stop at the 
foot of the stairs for Hilda to rest. 
After Hilda had panted awhile, the 
fairy said : 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


35 


“ Well, how did you like flying ? ” 

“ Oh, ever so much ! but I will enjoy it more after 
I get used to it, for now I am so afraid each time that I 
flap my little wings, so afraid that they will break off 
and let me fall, that I forget to think that I am a real 
little fairy, flying with gossamer wings, and then, too, I 
get quite tired, fairy dear, but then I know I’ll get quite 
used to it, and like it more and more, ’ ’ said Hilda, feel- 
ing that she must apologize for having sounded as if 
flying was not enjoyable. “ Oh, I think it is just de- 
lightful ! ’ ’ she said, ‘ ‘ much better than dancing. 
Are n’t you at all tired, fairy ? ” 

“ No, not at all ; I can fly more than a mile and not 
be the least fatigued, and so can you after you have 
practiced a little more. Flying is very easy to learn if 
one only has the wings. Now, just as soon as you are 
rested we will be off again, for I don’t like to leave my 
little steeds standing out so long in the cold.” 

‘ ‘ I am rested now, ’ ’ said Hilda, ‘ ‘ and I am so anx- 
ious to see your little team.” 

“Well, let’s be off then,” and then away they flew 
again, and this time Hilda did n’t feel afraid of breaking 
her wings, nor did she get at all tired, for practice had 
already made perfect and she could now fly quite as 
gracefully and easily as her guide. Over a window — 
that was down from the top for ventilation — over they 


36 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


sailed, and then away they went along the side of the 
house until they came to the front corner, then down 
they went swooping toward the front door-step, and 
there, — close up to the foot of a large tree that grew by 
the curbing, stood the fairy’s little team. 

Hilda could n’t help exclaiming, “ Oh, how lovely !” 
as she saw the prettiest little gilded sleigh, with shining 
runners, and crimson plush cushions, and a beetle sitting 
on the driver’s seat in front, holding the reins of four 



in hand. Hilda clapped her little hands with delight 
when she saw the steeds, which were four of the most 
cunning little white mice, harnessed with golden trap- 
pings. 

“Well, let’s be off,” said the fairy, as they seated 
themselves side by side on the soft cushions. After 
folding their wings so that they might lean back, the 
fairy drew up the prettiest little fur robe, made of a 
mole’s skin, and lined with yellow velvet. Then away 


PRINCKSS HILDA. 


37 


they whirled along the smooth street, which was now 
white with a covering of snow that glistened so beauti- 
fully ’neath the rays of the midnight moon. 

Hilda had never enjoyed anything so much as this 
fairy ride, in the beautiful moonlight, over the new- 
fallen snow. 

“Well, where shall we go now?” said the fairy, 
“ anywhere that you like.” 

Hilda had been so interested in learning to fly, and 
she was now so happy in her fairy ride that she had for 
the time quite forgotten about the tenement children, 
and indeed, almost everything else but her present enjoy- 
ment. But her memory had n’t grown less, while her 
body was decreasing, hence the fairy no sooner asked 
where they should go, than Hilda said, 

“ I should like best of all, to go to a tenement house 
where some of the poor children live, that is, if you 
don’t mind,” she added, thinking that perhaps the fairy 
wouldn’t like the suggestion; “could you take me 
there, dear fairy ? ” 

“ Why, to be sure ; that is just where I should like to 
take you, for you people who live up in this part of the 
city are so busy ‘ carrying coals to Newcastle ’ that you 
have no idea of what things are like in the tenement 
region.” Then speaking to the beetle, who drove a lit- 
tle slower while he was getting the directions, or listen- 


38 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


ing to the fairy, she told him just where to drive. Then 
away they sped, around first one street corner and then 
another, on and on they went. 

All the while the streets were still wide and smooth, 
and the dwellings standing out like perfect palaces 
against the sky in the moonlight. 

“Is n’t the city beautiful by moonlight?” said 
Hilda; “there is no use of the gaslights to-night, is 
there? for if there were none we could see just as well 
how to drive.” 

“ Yes, it is quite beautiful up here where the people 
live who spend their time ‘ carrying coals to Newcastle, ’ 
but the scene will soon change.” 

‘ ‘ There, now, fairy dear, you have twice used the 
same words that Auntie Belle did last evening, and I 
know what you mean by ‘ carrying coals to Newcastle,’ 
for my auntie explained it to me, and I don’t mean to 
be caught doing anything so foolish as that, not now, 
nor when I get to be a woman grown like my beautiful 
mamma.” 

“ You ^<7 know?” said the fairy, looking straight 
into Hilda’s little fairy eyes, no larger now than the 
diamond in her mamma’s ring, 

“Yes, I do know quite well, it means — it means — 
well, I have never tried to tell before what it does mean, 
but I understand it anyway. Oh, yes ! it means to spend 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


39 


all one’s time doing for, and giving to, those who don’t 
need for things, while all the time there are many, oh, so 
many ! who have n’t much, and with whom we should 
be willing to share our blessings.” 

“You have expressed it very well, and I can see that 
you quite understood me when I spoke of these people 
up here ‘carrying coals to Newcastle.’ But they all 
don’t do so, for there are some who like your Auntie 
Belle, think a great deal about those who are less fortu- 
nate in the world, and these good people are doing, and 
have done in the past, much to relieve the suffering in 
the poorer part of the city. There are ‘ Children’s Aid 
Societies ’ and a ‘ Society for the Prevention of Cruelty 
to Children’ — (for you must know that some of these 
tenement children are cruelly treated) — and then there 
are ‘ Homes for the Homeless ’ and a ‘ Fresh Air Fund ’ 
whereby the poor are sent out in the country during the 
dreadful heat of the summer, — when the crowded tene- 
ments are like great hot ovens almost, — there are these 
and Kindergartens and other charity helps that I might 
mention, all supported by those who remember the poor 
and needy,” continued the fairy, “but then, there are 
so many who never help in any of these ways, thus leav- 
ing the burden to be borne by far too few.” 

“ Mamma and papa and I are going to help all we 
can in future,” said Hilda, “and I’m sure Mr. Curtiss 


40 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


will, too, dear fairy, for papa says that Auntie Belle can 
get Mr. Curtiss to do anything she wants.” 

“ Well, she should get him to have his old tenement 
block made decent and comfortable,” said the fairy. 

‘ ‘ Does he own one of those wretched houses we are 
going to see?” asked Hilda. 

“Yes, he does, and one of the worst among them, 
but I doubt if he ever saw it, or knows anything about 
it, for he flies around the world so much, and leaves 
much of his business in the hands of his lawyer.” 

‘ ‘ I am sure he can’ t know about it, ” said Hilda, ‘ ‘ for 
Auntie Belle could n’t be fond of any one w^ho would ill 
use the poor. I am going to tell her about it, and I feel 
sure she will ask Mr. Curtiss to have it all made com- 
fortable.” 

‘‘Well, we’ll soon be there,” said the fairy, ‘‘and 
you can see for yourself how miserable Mr. Curtiss’s 
tenement is, for that is the one we will visit.” 

By this time the streets had become much more nar- 
row, for the four little mice had been speeding away 
while Hilda and her fairy companion were talking, and 
now Hilda’s home was left far behind. The streets be- 
gan to be so rough and dark, too, for the moonlight 
couldn’t get down between the high buildings in these 
narrow streets, as it had shone so easily on the wide, 
open streets. The beetle guided his little steeds up on 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


41 


to the sidewalk now, for the cobble-stones made the 
little sleigh almost tip over out in the street. How 
swiftly did those little mice scamper along now on the 
sidewalk ! They did n’t once have to be touched up with 
the golden-handled little whip that stood in the socket 
in front of the sleigh. And what beautiful little lamps, 
too, were fastened on each side of the front of the sleigh. 

“You don’t need to light your little lamps in the 
city, do you, fairy?” said Hilda, “for there are gas- 
lights making it bright even when the moon does n’t 
shine.” 

“No, but I often drive in the country, and sometimes 
on very dark nights. Would you like to see how my 
lamps can shine?” asked the fairy. 

“Oh, no. You are very kind,” said Hilda, “ but I 
wouldn’t have you take that much trouble, dear fairy.” 

“ No" trouble,” said the fairy, “none at all,” and 
with that the fairy said, “ Star bright and Shinylight 
twinkle some for us,” and in an instant the wee little 
lamps were ablaze with the glow of two tiny fireflies, for 
that was the manner in which the fairy had her sleigh 
lighted. “That will answer,” said the fairy, and then 
little Starbright and Shinylight folded their wings and 
quietly nestled down again in the bottom of the little 
lamps. 

“You see, whenever the moon goes under a cloud on 


42 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


moonlight nights, it is no trouble for me to turn on my 
lights, even for a little while,” said the fairy. 

” How charming ! ” said Hilda. ” Who ever would 
have thought of such a thing but a fairy ? Have you 
had Starbright and Shiny light long ?” 

”0, yes! They have been with me ever since I 
owned this team.” 

So busy were Hilda and the fairy thus talking away, 
that Hilda was quite surprised when the beetle was told 
to ‘‘rein up,” and “let us out here”; but when she 
looked around, she thought “surely this must be the 
very place Auntie Belle was talking about, when she 
described the homes of the tenement children.” 

The space between the high, dark, dingy walls on 
either side of them, was so narrow that Hilda’s little 
pony phaeton could scarcely have driven in. She 
looked up — straight up — to get a glimpse of the starlit 
sky. The fairy first got out, and then she helped 
Hilda, who had not grown so accustomed to her size as 
to be able to trip about as sprightly as her companion. 

After telling the little beetle to drive up close to the 
wall, and await their return, the fairy turned to Hilda, 
and said, 

“Now, you can test your wings once more,” and 
with that, up she sailed, with Hilda following close be- 
hind. Up, up they sailed, between the bare, cheerless 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


43 


dingy walls, up still higher, until they reached the row 
of windows in the story just under the roof. Hilda 
looked down as they rested on one of the window-sills 
and the fairy said, 

“ We are now six stories above the street. Look 
down and see how dizzy it will make you.” 

Hilda bent over to look down, and she had to flutter 
her wings all the while to steady herself, and to keep 
from falling. Down, down she looked, and counted the 
rows of windows below her — six in number. 

‘ ‘ Think how dismal it must be in those rooms down 
there, with this great, blank wall opposite, shutting out 
most all the light and air, and yet, those rooms there, 
away beneath us, are the homes of some poor children, 
and this narrow little alley, is the only yard in which 
they have to play,” said the fairy. 

” Dear fairy, I did n’t know that any one could live 
in such cramped places ! ” said Hilda, thinking of the 
wide, beautiful, bright street, on which her own home 
stood. 

” Oh ! the outside is nothing to the inside,” said the 
fairy ; ‘ ‘ do you see that door way down there on the 
street, the door just beneath us ?” 

“ Yes, I see but the one door.” 

Well, there is the only one for all the hundred 
people who live in this building ; they all enter there, 


44 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


and then they go along narrow, dark passageways, and 
up miserable, steep, narrow stairs, until they reach the 
floor on which their rooms are situated. We will now 
enter, and you can see for yourself. ’ ’ 

Then they both spread 
their tiny wings again, and 
flew along near the roof, in 
search of a broken window- 
pane, through which they 
might enter. There were 
many broken window- 
panes, all along, which 
Hilda noticed as they flew. 
But the fairy was looking 
for a pane with no rags 
stuffed in it to keep out 
the wind, for great gusts 
of wind were sweeping 
down through the alley. 
At last, they found half of 
a window-pane gone, and 
through that they went, entering a low attic room, 
with sloping ceiling. The roof was poorly patched, and 
through it the wind was whistling. 

Hilda gazed about her, as she and the fairy sat 
perched upon the back of an old rickety chair— and 



PRINCESS- HII,D A. 


45 


what a pitiable sight she saw 1 Had she not been a 
fairy, Hilda would have cried when she looked upon a 
poor, pinched-faced little baby, lying in a box on some 
straw, with an old coat thrown over it ; and then 
wrapped around the baby, and just beside it, was a pile 
of straw, with three little ones, lying fast asleep, covered 
with an old ragged quilt, through which their little bare 
bodies could here and there be seen. In one corner of the 
room, the mother and father lay sound asleep on an old 
bedstead without any mattress while in another corner, 
was the craziest looking, little, old rusty stove, with a 
shelf over it, on which were placed some old broken 
dishes, and some empty tomato cans. 

“Those are their dishes and cooking utensils,” 
whispered the fairy to Hilda. Hanging over a rope 
which was stretched across another corner, were some 
ragged looking garments ; ‘ ‘ and there is their ward- 
robe,” said the fairy, speaking very softly. “These 
people eat, cook, sleep and wash in here,” she con- 
tinued, and Hilda glanced around at the little coop of a 
room, and wondered how they could live there, unless 
they were small, like herself and her good fairy. 

“ But we must n’t tarry too long here, for we must 
peep into some of the other rooms as we descend,” said 
the fairy. 

Then away they flew again, through a broken panel 


46 


PRINCBSS HILDA. 


of the door, out into the darkest, narrowest hallway, 
passing door after door, and now and then across an- 
other narrow side passage, with doors along both sides, 
like the one they were flying through. At last they 
came to the top of a stairway down which they went. 
At the foot of it there was another hall, with its side 
crossing ones, and doorw^ays just like the one above, 
through which they had just come. The bad smell in 
the halls made Hilda glad that she had a fairy nose, 
instead of one the usual size, and indeed she might 
have been made ill had she breathed as much of the 
foul air as her ordinary nose would have allowed. 
Hilda was very much frightened too, and flew very 
close alongside of the fairy, when some ugly, cross 
words, in a gruff voice were heard. 

“ That is doubtless some drunken man coming home, 
to abuse his poor wife and wretched little children,” 
whispered the fairy. ” We will now enter a room on 
this floor,” she continued, “and then descend again.” 

This time, a table and three chairs, besides a pallet 
on the floor, in addition to the bedstead, were found in a 
room, somewhat larger than the first one visited. An 
old woman, the grandmother of two little ones lying on 
the pallet, was sleeping in the bed beside their mother. 
A rough looking crutch was standing against the foot of 
the bed ; the fairy saw it, and whispered to Hilda that it 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


47 


belonged to one of the little ones asleep, a little crippled 
girl. 

‘ ‘ How dreadful it must be to live a cripple up here. ’ ’ 
thought Hilda, ‘ ‘ and to have to go up and down those 
miserable stairs.” 

” But we must now hurry on,” again said the fairy. 
This time, they heard some angry words in the hall 
through which they flew, and they could dimly see two 
shadowy figures of staggering men, groping and stum- 
bling along. On the stairway, too, they flew over an old 
woman lying fast asleep, with an old empty bottle in her 
lap, from which she had drained the last drop of rum. 
Descending another stairway, and flying along until they 
came to an open doorway, they peeped in and saw a 
little girl tossing to and fro on a bed, hot with fever, 
while her mother was trying to quiet a little baby, too 
hungry and ill to be soothed. 

“On and on we might go, and see hundreds of just 
such wretched beings,” said the fairy; “but you have 
seen enough to satisfy you that there is work for all, 
have n’t you ? ” 

“ Oh ! yes ; I don’t really want to see any more like 
these, dear fairy ; but I wish to go home, and have 
Auntie Bell, and mamma and papa, and Mr. Curtiss, and 
all others who will help, to do something for these poor, 
miserable creatures. ’ ’ 


48 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


“ If all who are now ‘carrying coals to Newcastle,’ 
would only lend a hand, the work might be easily 
accomplished,” said the fairy. “ Getting Mr. Curtiss to 
look into his own affairs a bit, with your auntie’s advice 
and suggestions, that alone, would work wonders in this 
building.” 

“Well, I am sure this building will be attended to, 
fairy dear, and I ’in so grateful to you for bringing me to 
the very one for which I could do the most, for instead 
of merely sending a few gifts to some poor little children, 
we can all work together and change this entire build- 
ing with all its miserable occupants.” 

“ Yes ; in addition to other work that is to be done, 
you might have one room fitted up for a chapel, and 
employ one of the city missionaries to devote all of her 
time to this one building, and have a Kindergarten for 
the wee ones.” 

“ Oh ! that will be splendid ! How glad I am that 
you thought of that. We will do all that you have 
spoken of, and much more besides, and then, dear fairy, 
won’t you come again when we have it all done and 
working nicely — won’t you then come and join us (or 
let me join you) in another fairy ride and see how great 
will be the change ? ” 

“I’ll be delighted to do so, and now let’s be off 
again, for we have a visit of an entirely different kind 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


49 


to pay before returning home, and as it is now past 
midnight, it is quite time that all parties were at home.” 

“Where are we going this time, dear fairy,” asked 
Hilda. 


PART III. 


AM now going to carry you to see a lovely 
Princess. She is lovely in every sense of the 
word ; she has the most beautiful blue eyes, 
and a quantity of long, shining hair — like spun gold — 
but best of all, she has a loving, kind heart, and as she 
grows older, too, she will carry a blessing wherever she 
goes : being a Princess too, she will have opportunity 
for doing much good, for many will be found ready to 
do her bidding.” 

“Oh, how delightful, dear fairy, it will be to see a 
real Princess! I didn’t know there were any in our 
country.” 

“ Well, no ; not exactly what you have been accus- 
tomed to calling a princess,” said the fairy, “but we 
fairies call many little boys and girls in this country, 
princes and princesses, for although their fathers and 
mothers are not kings and queens, yet they are very 
wealthy — so wealthy that they can grant almost every 
wish of their children, hence these children have as 
many blessings and comforts, as the children of a 
king.” 




PRINCESS HIEDA. 


51 


“ How strange?” said Hilda, “and do you always 
speak of these children as pidnces and princesses, in 
fairyland ? ’ ’ 

“Yes, always; we call you ‘Princess Hilda’ over 
there.” 

“You do?” said Hilda in great astonishment; 
‘ ‘ only think of it ! la princess ! ‘ Princess Hilda ’ ’ ’ 
she repeated to herself, thinking that it sounded very 
pretty indeed. “Well, well! how wonderfully strange 
does it seem for me to be a real fairy, and then to think 
of being called a princess. ‘ Princess Hilda ’ ” — again 
she said, being quite pleased with the sound. “Then 
fairy, dear, if I’m to be called a princess, then I would 
like to be be just like the one you said we were going to 
see to-night ; I have blue eyes and ‘ golden hair ’ as papa 
calls it, but then, I wish to have a kind, loving heart, 
just as you said she had.” 

“You can have, if you refuse to spend your time in 
‘ carrying coals to Newcastle,’ but devote your energies 
to working for others less fortunate than yourself,” said 
the fairy. 

By this time, Hilda and her guide were again on the 
curbing, and the beetle had to be awakened by a touch 
of the fairy’s wand, for he had gone fast asleep while 
the fairy flights had been made through the tenement 
building. 


52 


princess hieda. 


“How delightful to be again in the fresh air,” said 
Hilda, ‘ ‘ and how dreadful it must be to breathe that foul 
air all the time.” 

“ Yes ; it is fearful now,'' said the fairy, “but nothing 
to be compared to what it will be during the heated 
summer time, when you will be away in the mountains, 
or at the seaside, enjoying the fresh breezes. Those 
little ones in those miserably constructed houses, fairly 
pant with the heat, and many of them sleep on the door- 
steps or leaning on the window sills, for it is too fear- 
fully hot to sleep indoors. But we’ll soon be where 
things are much more agreeablethan what we have seen, 
for we are nearing the place where the Princess lives.” 

“Oh, are we, fairy, to see her very soon?” 

“Yes, indeed; she lives in this same city through 
which we have been riding to-night. 

“Just to think that she lives in my own city ! I do 
hope she lives not very far from me, for then I might 
hope to see her sometimes, and perhaps she and I might 
work together for the poor children.” 

The little mice were fairly scampering along now, and 
so rapidly had they been going ever since Hilda and her 
fairy friend had nestled themselves among the cushions, 
that by this time, the streets were again becoming wider, 
and smoother and brighter. The rays of the midnight 
moon now falling on the glistening snow, made a scene 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


53 


as beautiful as fairyland itself, and it seemed quite 
natural to Hilda for fairies to be riding in a tiny little 
gilded sleigh over the beautiful snow. At last, the 
beetle guided the little mice around the corner of a 
street, and Hilda looked and saw that the houses were 
much prettier than any they had passed since the earlier 
part of their ride, and she said : 

“ How lovely it is here ; this street makes me feel 
quite at home, fairy dear, for it is very much like the 
beautiful street on which we live.” 

No wonder you feel so much at home,” said the 
fairy, “ for we are almost there.” 

‘ ‘ Then the Princess does live not far from us, does 
she?” 

‘‘Yes; quite near, quite near,” repeated the fairy; 
“ she lives in this row of houses just here, on our left ; 
all of her neighbors spend their lives in ‘ carrying coals 
to Newcastle.’ ” 

‘‘But they wouldn’t, I know, dear fairy, if they 
knew what we know and had seen what we have seen 
to-night. How I wish they would all help us this 
Christmas time with the children’s feast, and with all 
the other work that needs to be done, after Christmas, 
for Christ must not like to see people forget the poor, as 
soon as His birthday is celebrated.” 

“Can’t you get your Auntie Belle to write up in a 


54 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


little book, all that you saw during your fairy ride ? then 
you could have it printed, and thus tell many of the 
thoughtless, careless ones of what there is to be done.” 

” Oh, what a beautiful thought that is, fairy dear ! 
I will ask my auntie to write it for me, for I do want 
everybody to know what a lovely ride I’ve had, and 
then, I am sure, they will stop ‘ carrying coals to New- 
castle ’ ; I am so glad that you thought of it.” 

‘ ‘ And now here we are at the home of the Princess, 
so we must get out again.” 

‘‘Why, dear fairy, this is my own beautiful home,” 
said Hilda, as they jumped out of the sleigh, and looked 
up at the stately mansion in front. 

” Well, the Princess lives here,” said the fairy. 

“Oh! you must be mistaken, dear fairy, for if she 
lives here, she must be in the attic, but I’ve never heard 
any one mention her, and I don’t think a princess would 
live up in our garret.” 

“ No, she does n’t live in the garret either, but she 
has the sweetest, prettiest little room in the house. It 
is just as pretty as the room of any little princess in the 
land.” 

“ Well, is the Princess imprisoned, dear fairy ?” asked 
Hilda. 

“No, indeed ; she is not a prisoner by any means, but 
she is free to come and go at her own sweet will.” 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


55 


By this time, they were sailing away again. Into the 
house they went, over the window that was lowered for 
ventilation, the same window over which they had flown 
on starting out for their fairy ride. Hilda was so ac- 
customed to flying by this time, that she did n’t have to 
stop and rest on the newel post, as she did before going 
out. So up the stairway they sailed, then along the 
hall, which seemed so broad and beautiful, in contrast 
to the narrow, miserable ones they had seen in the tene- 
ment, up to Hilda’s very door they flew, then on through 
the transom again, into her own room, from which they 
had started only a few hours ago. 

“Now, I will flrst turn you back into your natural 
size, before showing you the Princess. You must shut 
your eyes now, while you are growing larger again, but 
just as soon as you feel a thump, thump, thump, then 
open your eyes and look straight before you, and you will 
see the lovely little Princess of whom I’ve been telling 
you ; she will be lying in her bed, just as you are.’’ 

‘ ‘ What is her name, dear fairy ? It all seems too 
mysterious to be true, but then it must be so, for you 
have not once deceived me. When I open my eyes, I 
should like to know by what name to call the Princess.’’ 

“ Well, trust me for that ; I’ll promise you will know 
exactly what her name is the moment you behold her,” 
said the fairy. 


56 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


‘ ‘ How very strange it all seems, dear fairy ; but then 
since I’ve been a real fairy, and have enjoyed that lovely 
drive, it seems that anything almost might come true. 
Oh, that lovely fairy ride ! I shall never forget it, 
never, never in this world, and then I shall look for you 
to come again as you promised, — to go with me to the 
tenement building, after we have all the things changed 
there, like we planned during our ride.” 

“Yes, I’ll come again then,” said the fairy. “And 
now, let’s make your wings disappear, for it is time for 
me to be on the way to fairyland,” Then the little 
golden wand was raised gently, tipping each gossamer 
wing, and instantly they began to vanish, and soon 
Hilda stood a wingless little fairy. 

“Now, lie down in your bed, while I make you grow 
larger,” continued the fairy, “ but remember 7iot to open 
your eyes until after the third thump.” With that, the 
little wand was again raised, touching Hilda upon the 
brow this time, and no sooner done than she felt a 
strange sensation passing through her, and immediately 
she began to grow larger and larger. Up went her head 
and down went her feet under the cover, while her body 
and her hands and arms rapidly grew larger, for Hilda 
was six years old, you must know, and quite tall for her 
age ; therefore she had to increase in size considerably 
before she became her usual size. At last she felt a 


PRINCESS HIEDA. 


57 


thump, and then after a little pause, another thump, and 
then the third. This time Hilda opened her eyes as she 
had been directed by the fairy, and there, reflected in a 
large mirror on the wall opposite, lay Hilda herself in 
the moonlight shining through the window. Hilda was 
filled with astonishment as she said softly, “ Princess 
Hilda ; that was the name which the fairy meant when 
she said, ‘ You’ll know by what name to call the Prin- 
cess’; then I’m to be the good Princess carrying bless- 
ings wherever I go, instead of ‘carrying coals to 
Newcastle,’ for so said the fairy. How I wish it was 
daylight, so I could tell mamma and Auntie Belle all 
about it,” said Hilda. ” Princess Hilda,” she said over 
and over again ; ‘ ‘ how nice it will be when Auntie Belle 
writes all of this out in a book for me, and for the other 
little boys and girls in the land, for I feel sure they 
would like to hear of my good fairy and of our lovely 
fairy ride. And I wonder if — if — if — ” Hilda could n’t 
finish the sentence, for here she fell asleep again. 

But this is what she was going to say — ” I wonder if 
my angel brother was watching me during that fairy 
ride, and if he saw me go into the homes of the poor ? 
if so, I know he must be pleased to think that I am now 
going to do all that I can always, to help the poor, for 
angels must like to have us do that way.” But instead 
of talking thus to herself, as she started out, she fell 


58 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


asleep again, as I told you, and dreamed such a beauti- 
ful dream ! She thought all became bright about her, 
like the glistening snow she had been riding over, 
and she thought she heard distant music, and on 
looking up to see whence it came, she saw her dar- 
ling brother coming toward her from among a host of 
angels. And she said, “Oh! brother dear, I wanted 
to leave mamma and papa and Auntie Belle, after you 
had gone, — to leave them all alone and go to be with 
you in heaven; but now I see that you are so happy that 
you won’t be lonely without me, will you ? And now I 
have found that there are so many poor little children 
who need help in this city — so very many there are, that 
I wish to help them all I can before I leave. I wish to 
get Auntie Belle to write about my fairy ride, so that 
others may help to feed the hungry, and clothe the 
naked, and visit the sick ; and then I’ll be ready to go, 
dear Jamie, and won’t you come for me then ? ” 

“Yes, my sister. I’ll come again,’’ and then Hilda 
thought that Jamie joined the angel band, and they all 
passed on through the beautiful heavenly gates. 

In the morning Hilda told all of this to her loved 
ones — all about her fairy ride and then of the beautiful 
dream, which Auntie Belle called “ a heavenly vision.’’ 
Tears of joy were shed by those who listened, while they 
kissed her and promised to help her in every way possible. 


PRINCESS HILDA. 


59 


“But, Auntie Belle, won’t you write the little book 
for me very soon? just as you did the letter to Santa 
Claus, while I tell you just what to say, for you did n’t 
enjoy the fairy ride with me, neither did you dream of 
Jamie, so you could n’t write it unless I helped you, 
could you, my dearest auntie ? ’’ 

“No, indeed; I couldn’t begin to write it without 
your assistance,’’ said her loving auntie. “We shall 
begin the little book as soon as the feast given by the 
‘ Children’s Christmas Club ’ is over, for we would n’t 
have time before — we’ll be so very busy.” 

“ And what shall we call the book. Auntie Belle ? ” 
“Why, 'Princess Hilda' to be sure,” replied her 
auntie. 






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